Stranger Things
by Rosage
Summary: The Feys are outsiders, and Maya has to stay strong for the few people who understand. When she's mobbed outside a funeral, an unlikely rescuer gives her the chance she needs to break. Spoilers for case 3-5.


_Thanks to Klinki on tumblr for the beta._

Pearls' fingers dug into the front of Maya's kimono the whole time they sat in the pew. Nick sat beside her, sending her pitying glances; when she couldn't stand them, she stopped looking at him and took comfort instead from the heat of his body. On her other side, Sister Bikini clutched a handkerchief and wailed. Maya lived vicariously through her, burying her own dry face in Pearl's hair and stroking her back, letting the sobs wracking that small body remind her why she couldn't break.

The sermon filtered through her ears in fragments. She struggled not to wiggle, telling herself to be a dutiful daughter and listen, but the story reminded her of a picture book in which the author hadn't included her. Every so often he would slip, turning a Misty Fey into an Elise Deauxnim or back, sending discomfort rippling through the room that made Maya slink down in her seat.

By the time the service was over, Pearl had hit her limit. Nick offered to take her home, unhooking her nails from Maya's front and muffling her screams in his chest. He squeezed Maya's shoulder and cast her one last worried look before carrying Pearl away, leaving Maya feeling cold from their absence and from Pearl's cries of _my fault _ringing in her ears.

Sister Bikini wrapped a shawl around Maya's shoulders, hiccupping warm words as she guided her up the aisle. They stood in a line of people Maya didn't recognize, few of whom wore a mourning kimono like hers. She rocked on her heels and examined the church. Its domed ceiling and bronze statues would have fascinated her any other time, but now they only reminded her this wasn't a Kurain service.

They reached the alter, where Maya was forced to face the urn. No matter how she tried to wrap her mind around it, it seemed impossible that her mother was inside. The picture inside the master's talisman came to mind, making the tears threaten to escape until a wail of "Oh, Mystic Misty" saved her. Pearl and Nick weren't there, but she'd been strong all day, and she was too numb to change that.

Before she was ready, she had to step aside. A family of strangers took her place. She shuffled to the back of the church.

Groups clustered there, chatting over refreshments. For once, she had no desire to eat, but she crammed a cookie in her mouth anyway as she eavesdropped. "His favorite author," one woman murmured, nodding at the boy clinging to her leg. Maya grabbed a handful of cookies and turned away.

The name 'Misty' brought her attention to a group of nuns. She considered introducing herself, but she was too tired to deal with the reactions. Dizzy, she excused herself from Sister Bikini, who gave her a pat before hobbling toward the nuns.

Evening had fallen, but as soon as Maya stepped outside, light blinded her. Clicking sounds like those she'd heard at Gourd Lake revealed the flashes were cameras. Cookie hanging from her mouth, she gaped as half a dozen microphones were shoved in her face.

"Miss Fey," a man asked, "Is it true you're set to become the next Master of Kurain?"

Before Maya could answer, a woman shoved him aside. "Did you have any idea the picture book author was your mother?" Maya swallowed the cookie and coughed, shaking her head. More reporters jumped in.

"Do you think she was too ashamed to reveal her identity?"

"Are you unhappy about inheriting a disgraced tradition?"

"Your mother abandoned you after being uncovered as a fraud. Do you have any negative feelings toward her? Is that why you shielded her killer?"

Cheeks burning, Maya clenched her fists, but her voice refused to work. The lights and the crowd kept her frozen in place as she struggled to keep up with the questions, each one stinging worse than the last. _This was not how I wanted my first TV appearance to go, _she thought as she felt herself sway.

Just then, the crowd thinned and the click of the shutters made way for a cracking sound. A hand seized her wrist and pulled her down the sidewalk before shoving her into a car. As a shout of _Nick _built in her lungs, she began to flash back to her kidnapping. The sight of Franziska von Karma snapped her out of it.

"Franziska? Um, I mean, Ms.…"

"Franziska is fine." She straightened the rear-view mirror and glared into it. "I happened to be passing by. You looked in need of rescuing."

The engine started. Maya grabbed her arm. "Wait! Those reporters were saying the most awful…"

"Exploitive rodents of that sort are only interested in finding a crumb to lead them to the pantry. Now let go of my arm, unless you want us to crash."

"I have to go back and…!"

"You," Franziska said, "Need to do nothing except mourn. Those shameless fools will never understand. Trust me."

Something in her tone made Maya surrender, letting Franziska yank her arm away as she slumped back. Blearily she watched her thumbnail dig into a cookie. Franziska was right. Her life was so surreal most would call it impossible. How could she expect anyone to understand?

After pulling into the street, Franziska let several moments pass before speaking. "I can circle back if you want, but I thought it best to put some distance between us and those fools."

"I don't ever want to go back there again," Maya said. She was beyond caring if that made her an awful daughter. All she cared about was climbing into the nearest bed and not coming out for a month.

"Where would you like me to take you, then?"

Maya stared at the crumbs on her lap. Nick had the key to the office, and he was probably on a train back to Kurain. Loneliness caught up to her in a sharp pang.

She glanced at Franziska. She was hardly Maya's first choice of company, but…

"Can we just drive around?"

Franziska's eyes darted to the gas gauge. "Never mind," Maya said quickly. "I, uh, think I need some fresh air."

Franziska suggested a park. That decided, Maya leaned against the window and watched the streetlights blur, half-listening to the traffic and Franziska's cursing, which—if Maya was interpreting her German right—grew more colorful with each minute. Once they'd parked, Maya wiped the crumbs off her front and got out. She frowned back at the seat.

"Um, sorry for getting crumbs all over your car."

"Its Miles'. I wouldn't drive anything this trashy."

It was about this point that she remembered this was Franziska von Karma she was talking to. Any other time, walking in the park with her would have been strange, but stranger things had happened in the last week, and she was just happy to have company. The sweet scent of gasoline worsening the buzzing in her head, she headed for the middle of the park, quickening her steps when she passed a phone booth before she could remember if this was where that officer had been murdered.

They settled on a bench. Maya kicked her legs and turned to Franziska. "So…how did you know to rescue me, anyway?"

"You were like a deer caught in the headlights. It was the obvious thing to do."

"Yeah, but it's like you knew I'd get mobbed."

Franziska stiffened. "I told you. I was just passing by."

Maya twirled a bang around her finger. "We aren't near the prosecutor's office, are we? And weren't you going back to Germany?"

"If my attempting to do a kind deed is this suspicious, I'll refrain from now on," Franziska snapped.

"N-no, I didn't mean it like that! Um…thank you. I felt really hopeless."

Franziska fiddled with her whip. "You're welcome."

A car alarm made a dog bark. Too worn out to force conversation, Maya searched for the constellations Mia had taught her, but the stars were sparser in the city. She found half of Mystic Ami's staff before giving up.

Chest tightening, she looked for the one Mia had shown when she asked about Mother. _That's her, _Mia said, directing Maya's finger around the shape of a talisman, then pointing it at her chest. _And that's where she is. _With a dry throat, she found what she thought was the star for the latch, but the sky around it was empty.

Lip trembling, she lowered her finger. A soft cough reminded her Franziska was there. Hurriedly, Maya forced a smile. Franziska studied her for a moment before looking away. "You don't have to do that on my account."

"What?"

"Smile. Miles explained. You do it for others' sakes, don't you?"

Maya's face fell. "Y-yeah."

"I'm not invested in what happens to you, so there's no reason to force yourself."

Maya's chin dropped. Her situation caught up to her in a rush. Her aunt had plotted to kill her—again—using the spirit of her cousin, who was supposed to be channeled by her other cousin—by _Pearly_—but was channeled instead by her mother—her mother who she'd finally met, who might as well have been a stranger—who was then killed by her sister's lover, her sister who was _dead_, and Maya hadn't even managed to get through one testimony without bungling it up.

"I didn't even cry," she said, voice wavering. "I thought if Pearly saw…and I was going to get it all out at night when I was alone, but I was so tired I fell right asleep."

"That's understandable after what you'd experienced."

"I guess. But then I spent the whole funeral in a daze, and it didn't even register that that was my…oh God, that was my _mom._" She curled her knees up to her chest. "I'm the worst daughter."

At a clearing of the throat, she turned to Franziska, who was holding a handkerchief out and looking resolutely away. Remembering how she'd patronized Maya the year before gave Maya the urge to say _I'm not a baby, _but then she remembered her mother was dead, and Pearl wasn't there, and neither was Nick, or Mia.

When she took the handkerchief, the first tear was already down her cheek. Another joined it, and then something in her chest heaved, and soon she was sobbing into her hands.

When the worst of it was done, she was numb again, but the coil inside her had unwound. Sniffling, she handed the handkerchief back. "Thanks."

Franziska wrinkled her nose. "You can keep it."

Maya guessed she couldn't blame a von Karma of all people for not wanting to pocket her snot. Giddy from release, she let out a hiccup-like giggle. She covered her mouth. "Okay."

The giddiness soon passed, leaving her to wilt. She sighed. "Really though, if I wasn't a Fey, none of this would have happened. I mean, a funeral's one thing, but who has to put up with their family members plotting to kill each other _and _a bunch of totally rude journalists?"

The dog stopped barking. Bugs chirped. Franziska clenched her whip and stared into her lap with glazed eyes.

Realization dawned. Maya twisted the handkerchief.

"Um…Franziska? At your—I mean…"

Franziska stood. "The reception's finishing soon, isn't it? We should get you back before Sister Bikini worries."

"Oh…right." Maya took the hand Franziska offered, wobbling on jelly-like legs. As soon as she was upright, Franziska turned to leave. "Um, Franziska?"

Franziska paused, her face wary. "Yes?"

Maya considered probing further, feeling she'd glimpsed some moment that would pass if she let it go, but the last time she'd tried to bring up Franziska's father, it had gone badly. Besides, Franziska had already given more than Maya could expect. For the first time that day, Maya's smile was true. "Thank you."

Looking uncertain for a moment, Franziska nodded, a forced smile Maya found all-too-familiar tugging her lips. "You're welcome." With that, she turned to leave, and after one final look at the stars, Maya tucked Franziska's handkerchief in her pocket and followed her wordlessly back to the car.


End file.
